Swearing at or flipping off a police officer is probably rude, but it’s speech that’s protected by the First Amendment. (Denver Post file)

Flipping the bird at a police officer or telling a cop to stick it where the sun don’t shine is not the smartest thing to do, but it’s legal.

In the last few weeks, two cases in the metro area demonstrate the First Amendment is alive and well in Colorado.

“Simply telling a cop to go screw himself is not illegal,” said Denver lawyer David Lane. “The First Amendment lives in a rough neighborhood and if you can’t stand the neighborhood move to China … or somewhere the First Amendment does not exist.”